The following message is from Patti Beamish Nagle, Senior Director of Marketing and Communications, Northeast Division:
May 7, 2008

The American Red Cross has partnered with 3M Corporation and Roush Fenway Racing in an exciting campaign to help increase blood donations and raise awareness about the ongoing need for blood.  This program runs throughout the NASCAR season and will wrap up in January 2009. 
  
There are several key components of the campaign, including an at-track exhibit with data collection opportunities at selected race tracks (in our division at the Loudon, New Hampshire International Speedway on June 29, 2008), the redcrossracing.com website, a Sweepstakes, a Donor Rewards Program, and a suite of promotional items that will be given away throughout the campaign.    

• Red Cross Racing Website: redcrossracing.com is a dedicated website and the home of the Donor Rewards Program described below. It also contains a Fantasy Racing game with 50 prizes awarded each week. 

• Sweepstakes:  The Sweepstakes is an ongoing program with weekly drawings and a Grand Prize of an all-expense-paid trip for two to the Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Speedway on Nov. 9, 2008.  The prize package includes airfare, lodging and two race tickets. The Grand Prize sweepstakes drawing is Oct. 2, 2008. Entries will come from at-track registrations and redcrossracing.com.  The goal is to gather information from prospective blood donors and convert these individuals to actual blood donors through follow-up marketing activities. (Please note: Red Cross staff and their families are not eligible for this Sweepstakes; however, they are eligible and encouraged to join the Donor Rewards Program listed below.)

• Donor Rewards Program: Donors can become members of Red Cross Racing to build points toward the Donor Rewards Program.  The more donors participate in the blood program, the more points are earned.  After a donor reaches elite status of 2,500 points, accrued points can be exchanged for Red Cross Racing gear, including hats, t-shirts, key chains, jackets, limited edition die cast cars, and entries for a drawing for an all-expense-paid VIP trip for two to the Daytona International Speedway in February, 2009.
  
• Team Program:  The team program is designed to motivate individuals to recruit teams of donors for both team and individual prizes.  Team points (and subsequently standings) are an accumulation of the individual points of the Team Members.  The Team Owner will receive special prizes for placing in the top 100 teams, and the top 10 Team Owners are placed into a special drawing with one winner getting an all-expense-paid trip to the Phoenix race in 2008, and a second winner receiving an all-expense-paid trip to the Daytona race in February, 2009.

• At Track Promotion:  During the 2008 racing season, Red Cross blood donor and Celebrity Cabinet member Greg Biffle will drive the No. 16 Ford Fusion with a partial or full Red Cross paint scheme in seven races.  Attendees at these seven races will have the opportunity to register at redcrossracing.com by visiting a special American Red Cross promotional area set up at the race track.  These key races are highlighted on the next page.
  RED CROSS RACING TALKING POINTS FOR STAFF MEMBERS

Visit redcrossracing.com for more details!

• Anyone who registers at the redcrossracing.com website will be eligible an all-expense paid trip for two to the Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Speedway on Nov. 9, 2008.  The prize package includes airfare, lodging and two race tickets. The Grand Prize sweepstakes drawing is Oct. 2, 2008.  Weekly sweepstakes will be awarded to 20 winners for caps, T-shirts and die cast cars.  Employees are excluded from entry into this sweepstakes.

• Donors who register donations made between now and January 15, 2009 onto the redcrossracing.com website will earn points for each donation (after verification).  After reaching 2,500 points, a donor will reach the Elite Status and will be able to redeem points for Red Cross Racing merchandise or for additional sweepstakes entries.  Merchandise will be sent to the donors directly through a national vendor and will not be sent by the local region.

• Blood drive sponsors, donors, and non-donors can also participate by forming a “team”.  Teams can have as many as 35 members.  The top 100 team owners and members earn prizes and the top 10 team owners will be entered into a special pool for an additional trip for two to the Phoenix, Arizona race in November, 2008.  Team members will also earn points for their individual donation activity

• To help increase awareness of the need for blood, 3M and Roush Fenway Racing are donating the No. 16 Ford Fusion’s full paint scheme to the Red Cross at the Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Speedway on Nov. 9, 2008. The No. 16 Ford Fusion with the full paint scheme ran earlier in the season at Talladega on April 27, 2008. The Red Cross logo will also appear in the rear side panel of No. 16 at eight other NASCAR Races. Race fans can sign up to register at redcrossracing.com by visiting the Red Cross trailer on the midway at selected races shown in the Race Schedule below (in the Northeast Division at the Loudon, New Hampshire International Speedway on June 29, 2008), or by visiting redcrossracing.com.
  

• Driver of the No. 16 car, Greg Biffle, will also wear a Red Cross-branded fire suit in the upcoming Phoenix race as he did at Talladega. Biffle is a Red Cross blood donor and will appear in television and radio public service announcements to support the mission of the Red Cross.

• Red Cross staff and their families are eligible for the Donor Rewards Program only.